


at last, i see the light

by sky_blue_hightops



Series: Sun and Moon AU [18]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel Fluff, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Protective Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider, covers a whole buncha canon stuff, finally!! romance! just a littl ebit because frankly idk how that works, if you count me getting my little hands on canon as quote covers end quote, sun and moon au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-04
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:40:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25718212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sky_blue_hightops/pseuds/sky_blue_hightops
Summary: “You’re the sun,” he whispered, and Rapunzel froze.
Relationships: Cassandra & Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Rapunzel, Cassandra & Owl (Disney: Tangled), Cassandra & Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Ruddiger, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider & Varian, Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Pascal & Rapunzel (Disney)
Series: Sun and Moon AU [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1823434
Comments: 6
Kudos: 123





	1. Chapter 1

“You’re the sun,” he whispered, and Rapunzel froze.

His voice - there was something in it. Something deeper, like he _knew_. This wasn’t awe over a living fairy tale, or merely confirming a rumor. He sounded - relieved? Lost? Concerned? It was a mix she couldn’t quite get a hold on, but understood anyways.

 _He’s so, so important,_ a voice deep down told her. This man who she’d just healed - he was so much more than their guide to the lights. She could see it, now. But how? Who _was_ he?

Flynn. No, that’s not right. It felt...wrong, in a way she couldn’t explain.

 _Eugene_ , it cried out. Heartbroken. Grieving. She curled tighter around it, but it pushed away, fractured. Rapunzel blinked back tears. He’d never pushed _away_ before. She didn’t even think he knew he had; she didn’t think he knew what his soul told her. She wanted so badly to pull him closer, to tell him it was okay, _he’s here!_ But he was cold, so angry, and out of her reach.

Again. And it _hurt_.

Her hands were on Eugene’s shoulders before she could even process just how much she needed to _find hers, hold him, protect him_. “What do you mean?” All her nervousness from earlier vanished. Her naivety stood no chance in the face of all the years she’d never remember living. “What do you _mean_?”

Eugene looked startled, but numbly. She could feel Cass bristling in the space over her shoulder, a few feet back, but settling - the pieces began to fall into place. “I’ve-” The shock bled from his face, slowly, giving way to hesitance and realization. Pain. “I’ve got a little brother; I think...I think you’d want to meet him.” His haunted look pinned her, made her look past the mock bravado.

Yes, she knew instinctively, _yes._ Without a doubt. That had to be...he had to be it. She didn’t know much about fate, but there was a reason this man had found _their_ tower and there had to be a reason she’d kept him and questioned him and oh, the wound, the _wound_ \- the other night. The desperation. Hers, lost, alone in his dark. Trying his best. It brought her a little relief, to know she could help after all. She’d fixed what he’d tried to save.

She’d wanted for _so long_ to see the lights. But she’d also wanted with her whole being to finally find what’s hers - and she could have both. She could do both! Cass and her would help him find his brother and still have enough time to see the lights, she knew it.

“Yeah, I do,” she replied, and grinned. No more lying awake at night, wondering, worrying. No more sitting at her window, feeling like her life wasn’t much of a life at all. No more _waiting_.

 _It all starts now_ , she promised herself. This was where her life would begin.

* * *

Rapunzel lowered Cass down first.

Her sister swung gently, used to the descent, and her feet found the ground steadily. Owl swooped down from the rafters, circling the tower’s ceiling once before diving out the window to follow his human down, and she held out an arm for him before flashing Rapunzel a quick thumbs up.

Eugene was next; he held onto her hair for dear life, looking like he very much regretted not climbing back down the way he’d come up, but she wasn’t about to let him trip and fall all the way back down and ruin her hard work. She had someone to find, she had lanterns to _see_ , okay, and her key to both was not going to die on her watch! So she looped him in her hair, ignored his mild protesting, gave his raccoon a second to latch to his shirt, and slung him (carefully) out the window.

He found the ground with unsteady feet, and seemed to be physically restraining himself from kissing the ground. Instead he waved goofily, the raccoon screeching from the top of his head, and she allowed herself a giggle.

Okay. Okay. She could _do_ this. She’s got this. She has definitely got this!

Pascal chittered on her shoulder, one tiny foot patting her cheek. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye - “Yes, I know what I’m doing,” she muttered. “I can do this! I can!”

“...can I?” Fear pulled at her. She’d been so ready to go yesterday, but there was a lot more at stake this time. (And as much as she hated it, part of her deep down hadn’t even thought it would work. Part of her knew Mother would catch her, force her back up. Part of her had felt secure in her mother’s worry - not _safe_ , but instead relieved.)

This time Mother wouldn’t catch her. This time, she needed to leave or lose her opportunities forever. Pascal chirped again, reassuring, and she heaved a sigh. Now or never. She looped her hair, pulled it tight, and climbed out the window.

The wind was a familiar friend as it weaved around her. She paused at the top - Eugene and Cass were small below her, squinting up through the sun, and she bit her lip. A little at a time, maybe? A foot. Another foot.

Her hands slipped, and she jerked downwards with a squeak. Several feet of stone whizzed past her vision, Pascal yelped, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

“Raps.” She cracked one eye open, fixed on the grass just a short distance below her feet, and gripped tighter. Her legs stayed tucked tightly against her chest, her skirt loose around them. Cass stood not far away, one hand reached towards her, an exasperated smile on her face. “You know I’d never let anything happen to you.”

Yeah. She trusted Cass more than anything; Cass, who was currently stood on the very grass she couldn’t bring herself to touch. If Cass can do it...well, maybe she couldn’t, but Cass would _help_.

She hesitated, then stuck a hand out. Cass grabbed it instantly. She reached down with one foot. Cass widened her smile, trying for encouraging and hitting manic right on the head. She pressed her toes into the damp, warm grass. Cass tugged on her hand.

She breathed in and out. She would never truly be ready for the world, but the world better be ready for her.

Both feet on the ground was an amazing feeling. She felt the thrum of nature under every step she took, and then - _and then_ -

All her worries were forgotten. She cheered, pulling her hair free and Cass along behind her, darting around the meadow and skipping in the water and feeling her heartbeat race in her ears and sing in time with the dirt under her feet. “Look, look at me!” She laughed, leaping over a boulder and ducking under a tree, hair dragging in her wake as she frolicked.

This was _awesome_. It was everything she’d ever dreamed it would be! She sucked in a lungful of the air of _freedom_ and fought the urge to scream it all back out again and let her voice reverberate in the clearing. Then she gave herself a little scream. Just a little one. She deserved _that_ much. Cassandra stumbled to a stop beside her, releasing her hand to sling an arm around her shoulders. “Please, a _warning_ next time Raps, please.”

“We’re on the GROUND!”

“Yeah, we are. Got it. I’m also standing right next to you. My ear is very close to your mouth.”

“Cass, we’re _free_ oh my gosh we made it, we did it!!”

“Hey ladies, as sweet as this moment is - it’s very heartwarming, five stars - I really think we should get a move on. Places to go, remember?” Eugene’s voice tore her from her excitement, and she came crashing back to reality. Lights. Brother. YES.

She nodded enthusiastically; nothing could taint her fantastic mood right now, not even the memories of grief and blood, not even the uncertainty of stepping outside the meadow and disobeying Mother. She’d survived her first encounter with the ground. She had her sister and Pascal and Owl with her. She was _ready_.

Rapunzel gripped her pan tighter, felt the metal between her fingers and the strength in her hands, and smiled with all her teeth. “Where to first?”

* * *

This was the worst decision they’ve ever made, Cassandra was sure of it.

The Snuggly Duckling sat before them in all its shoddy, warm glory. She crossed her arms, rolled her eyes, huffed a sigh, but still Flynn looked….far too enthusiastic, and Rapunzel looked at it with the same innocent shine in her eyes she’d looked at everything around them with (after the...mood swings in the forest). “Well, I do like ducklings!” She chirped, and Flynn cheered, and that was that.

Ugh. Disgusting. And here she’d been ready to race off to the city, see the lights, and come back home right away.

The inside was the same as the last time she had been here…which was yesterday, so not surprising. Flynn’s eyes flicked back to her every so often, but whether it was from fear or him perceiving her hesitance, she couldn’t tell. She snarled silently in his direction. Might as well make sure it was fear.

The sight of all these unfamiliar men instantly had Rapunzel on edge; she swung her pan around defensively, looking cornered, and Cass resisted the urge to step in, instead creeping deeper into the shadows around the fringes of the room. She knew these thugs, knew they wouldn’t actually hurt Raps or do anything worse than loom threateningly ( _especially_ not with Cass watching out for her), but still. It was Rapunzel. Looking _scared_.

 _No,_ she reprimanded herself and stopped scanning the pub for all the nearest swords. _She has to learn to stick up for herself. She’s right there, if anything happens you can just_ grab _her._

Flynn wavered in the middle of the floor, split between guiding Rapunzel through the crowd and exchanging frantic, hurried questions with the men he recognized, brows furrowing as he interrogated each one quietly. Cass never took her eyes off him - his face twisted with genuine worry, a fear that ran deeper than anything she’d seen from him so far, and she _knew_ that feeling. She knew how it twisted in her gut when she couldn’t be there to defend Raps from Mother. She knew how it washed cold when her sister couldn’t sleep from worry and nightmares, knew how it gripped her when Cass only watched and could never seem to help in the ways that mattered.

She knew what concern for a sibling looked like, if _concern_ was the only word that could come close to the driving need to protect without being able to.

Snatches danced from person to person. She let the shadows cover her and shroud her presence; with her near-invisibility, the tables nearest to her grew louder, lips loosened, falsely secure in the belief they weren’t being overheard. The words she caught - _the Stabbingtons_ , _his brother_ , _on the run, castle guard_ \- weren’t comforting in the least. And for the first time, she began to wonder exactly _who_ her sister had knocked out and...recruited.

She didn’t trust him. That’s what it was. She didn’t trust this man that had crawled up into their tower, sassed his way into Rapunzel’s good graces, bled all over their floor, and then waved around this link to a person Raps had talked about and longed for and sought her whole life. How could he just _ruin_ their life in one, two hours tops? How had he come crashing in to disrupt everything Cassandra had wanted to work for herself?

It was distrust. It was _not_ jealousy at the idea of _actually_ coming close to whoever it was that had ties to Rapunzel even tighter than Cass herself. She clenched a fist around the drinking glass left abandoned on the table she found herself leaning on, gritting her teeth. This brother had _better_ be worth it. And with each rumor she overheard, he was sounding more and more...dangerous.

The sweet sound of her sister’s voice floated over from the crowd, backed by a shaky accordion, joined by the loudest of the thugs. Rapunzel poured her heart into a tune about achieving dreams, and with every note, Cassandra’s sunk more.

“What’s your dream, kid?” Cass jerked violently, pulse skipping. One of her thugs leaned casually on her table, cupcake in hand, and the familiar smell had her relaxing instinctively.

 _Her_ dream? She froze. A million thoughts spun under the surface. What did she want?

(Late, lazy mornings in bed. Her sister’s laugh. Owl’s talons curled around her forearm. An open road under her feet, stretching to the horizon. Metal and leather in her hands. Blood under her fingernails. All the time in the world to discover her place in it.)

“Keeping her safe,” Cass muttered, gesturing to where Raps danced arm in arm with two of her new friends, face beaming, trust easy to read in her expression. That earned Cass a chuckle and another cupcake slid across the wood to stop at her elbow, and she took it for the offering it was.

“Then I think you just might need this more than I do,” he replied, then slammed a blade down on the table. “And this. She looks like trouble.” The hint of irony almost made Cass smile - her sister stood out in the crowd, soft yellows and pinks, innocent as new spring flowers. “Never seen you around here with anyone but yer mom - this ole thing’ll get you far.” Her hand instantly shot out to push away the handle; there was no _way_ she could accept this, but he remained steadfast. “Kids in trouble gotta defend their own. You understand?”

Yeah. She pulled the sword closer, raked an eye over the polished gleam. She understood.

And of _course_ the peace and camaraderie wouldn’t last. It was just her luck. “Hey, it’s _you!_ ” A fist skittered on the table top, startling both her and Attila. A leering, scarred face cast a shadow from the nearby torches. A familiar set of angry eyes glinted at hers. The money from yesterday burned a hole in her pouch.

Okay. This...was bad. This was maybe as bad as things could possibly go right now. She stood up, pushing away the chair behind her (sword instinctively slipped into her belt, both her hands free), and stepped backwards very _slowly_. She’d never had to face a sore loser before, because her visits were so few and far between. They didn’t tend to come back much after being bested by the resident teenager. Attila stepped forwards, intent on getting between them, and she’d have been so grateful if she’d had the time to think much at all.

The man snarled and stomped forwards, checking shoulders with her friend aggressively, and both parties stumbled. Cass scrambled backwards in the confusion, and let her eyes dart around the room. _There_. Flynn and Rapunzel, nearby, almost done with their cute little song time. Great.

She dashed over, effectively dragging them towards the door by their collars. “No time,” she hollered over the din. “We gotta go _right now!_ ” Flynn sputtered and got his legs under him, already running, already clued into the way the man was dodging patrons to reach towards them, but Rapunzel just let herself be hauled, frantically gathering her hair up and trusting Cass to navigate. The crowd parted before them, the others who recognized her closing in the gap between them and her supposed attacker, raising arms. A rush of fondness swelled in her chest - she didn’t know them well, but they were her only friends out in the real world. They’d stuck with her.

She’d have to thank them later. Well, if they survived this whole ordeal. And didn’t get grounded for the rest of eternity by Mother.

Easy.

She ducked under an arm, shoving Flynn ahead with one hand and still dragging Raps with the other, sword swinging against her leg. “If you stop moving, you’re getting left behind,” she barked, before letting the man go and unsheathing her new weapon. Raps already had a few coils of her hair at the ready, face screwed into a frustrated scowl - Cass followed her eyeline, and shrank back at the figures that emerged from the chaos and penned them away from the door. Okay. A fight it was, she supposed, and raised her blade.

It didn’t take long for Raps to fall into step at her back, the two sisters in sync despite the odds - the slight nudges at her side with Rapunzel’s elbow, the clang of her pan against the temple of one of Cass’s first opponents, Cass’s foot shifting back to urge Raps in the other direction; they spoke much louder than the roar of the brawl around them. They moved together, one lunging as the other blocked, one striking and the other defending, managing to keep away their attackers even with their very limited experience. They’d never fought together at such stakes (or, really, anywhere larger than a few feet in each direction) but they _knew_ each other and they knew to fight _dirty_.

And then there was a knife’s tip at her throat and she swallowed, willing Rapunzel to not notice and play the hero and get _herself_ killed, and then the sharp edge was gone. Flynn stood over both her and the unconscious body, a stool raised high over his head. All the air left her in a rush. “...thanks,” she grumbled, then swung her blade to block the blow aimed at his arm. With a twist of her hand, the thug’s weapon skittered and bounced off the ground. “Now we’re even.”

He blinked, then shot her a cocky salute and went back in, swinging his improvised club. His stool-and-knife combo was frankly _terrifying_ , and a few of his moves she stuck a pin in for later - where had he learned those? Could he teach her those? What _angle_ \- Cass dodged an axe. Got it. Curiosity shelved for later. She fell gracefully into the back and forth of the chaos; at some point, it was less of an unfair fight between her and Raps and the groups of men who all apparently felt slighted by her....source of income and more of an all-out-no-holds-barred brawl between _everyone_. She grinned, sawdust under her feet and blood slick between her hand and the leather hilt, and only noticed when the noise faded away that everyone was either panting for breath, knocked out on the ground, or pressed against her side. _Raps_.

“Are you okay?” Reality came crashing back down - she’d _been_ in fights before, not Rapunzel, who hadn’t even been _outside_ before today, oh damn - she whirled on her sister, scanning her for any injuries and gripping her shoulders. “Rapunzel! Are you okay?!”

The smile she received for her troubles and crippling anxiety was near blinding. “That was…so _scary_!” Rapunzel’s eyes went wide with awe, like she couldn’t believe she’d single-handedly brought down several grown men (Cass could believe it. She blinked away the image of a wild-eyed Rapunzel, pan spinning in her grip, blood bright on her cheek like paint, and _yes_ she could believe it). “Oh my gosh, we did that!”

Cass opened her mouth to...either lecture her endlessly or freak out with her; Cass hadn’t decided - before the bartender stepped forwards, gaze pinched at the pure _state_ of his pub. “You’d best lay low for tonight.” She couldn’t argue with that logic, as much as she wished this whole trip was _over_ with already. “You three need ta scoot before the guard gets here; go and hide and they’ll’ve moved on from the woods by the mornin’.”

Rapunzel’s hand found the crook of her elbow, a soft comfort, and her sister shot the bartender a grateful smile. “Thank you all so much,” she said, then waved with her pan. “I had a lovely time singing with you!”

The chorus of replies was mostly positive, enthusiastic, and Cass followed up with a brusque nod of her own before beelining for the exit. Last thing they needed was heat from the guard, so the sooner they left, the better. “C’mon,” she urged, and Raps matched her stride easily.

Finally ducking out into the sunlight was a huge weight off her chest. Flynn gestured down the path, jogging lightly, just as eager as Cass was to leave the pub behind. He only stopped when the raccoon from earlier burst into his path, skittering up his legs and winding around his neck. “As if the guard wasn’t already a problem,” he laughed nervously, face twisted with uncertainty. “I’ve got a place, isn’t far. They’ll never find it.” It was less a statement and more a question, or perhaps an awkward invitation, but it’d do. Anything beat the castle cells Mother had always grilled warnings into her about.

“Sounds good,” she agreed grimly, hand still firm around Rapunzel’s wrist. The girl let the load of her hair drop, sliding like silk across the damp grass. She looked vaguely disappointed to leave all her...new friends...behind, but Cass figured that was more than enough trouble for one day, let alone just the first part of their outing. “I think I’ve had enough of that place...for a _while_.”

* * *

Even with night approaching, Eugene knew the way back without faltering.

These woods had quickly become their home, after they’d found their way to Corona. Neither of them felt comfortable with city life - too long spent wandering, too long spent with only each other ( _and Ruddiger_ , he noted absently and gave the subdued raccoon a head scritch) for company. No; the sky was their roof and the trees their shelter. Their bed was whatever they wanted to make of it, whether that be climbing to the highest branches to see the stars, or curled up between the knobs of tree roots, snug and secure. Nature bloomed here, in the Kingdom of Light. Greens, pale blues, rich browns in every direction contrasted with what Eugene remembered of their old home, the monotone blues and blacks of the castle.

But here, alone? Without the person that made this place ( _any_ place) his home? Even the most vibrant of shades washed stale. He aimed a kick at the days-old embers of their last fire, long gone cold, and batted undergrowth out of the way with more force than needed. He couldn’t _help_ but worry. Varian was out there somewhere, lost, and he was _stuck_ babysitting-

He stepped back as Blondie pushed through the leaves behind him, unashamed curiosity alight in her eyes as she took in their setup (dirty clothes, stained vials, unmade blanket piles and all, he realized with a small wince). And...yeah, he had to admit, it wasn’t just babysitting anymore, not even with the whole _oh, crap, sun_ thing.

Her positivity was irresistible. He hadn’t smiled this much in, what, days? His cheeks hurt from the walk through the woods alone, from bumping elbows and pointing out paths and animals. Even the frog - small and initially hostile as he may have been - merely pinned him with a knowing look, like this was just her _effect_ , like he shouldn’t try to resist.

He could do that, maybe. Just for tonight. Healing aside, sleepless nights in the jail and the trauma of the past few days had him exhausted, plain and simple. And his blankets lay scattered just feet away, and there was this girl with a smile warmer than anything he’d encountered in a very long time, something in her eyes shining _safe_ and _strong_ , and he thought he just _might_ be able to relax. For a few hours. Nothing more.

He ducked around the fallen tree that sheltered their usual sleeping spot, gathering up blankets and depositing Ruddiger in his makeshift nest in the branches. All of the blankets were worn and a faded brown, all save their deep blue one, patterned with stars, hopelessly small - and his heart _wrenched_ and he left it lying alone on the ground, for now. “Here,” he said, voice unexpectedly rough. “Not much, but it does us well. The heights of luxury and all that.”

The other girl snorted, accepting his armful of fabric and helping spread it across the soft dirt. “Raps,” she called quietly, and Rapunzel spun from where she’d been poking around the rock that stood tall on the edge of camp. At hip height, the weather had worn a surface into it perfect for - ah. Damn.

“Hold on, forgot to-” He jogged over, hands reaching out to clear away the remains of Varian’s last experiment (something something tree branch strength? material stress? ... _nerd_ ), but Rapunzel held a vial closer to squint _directly into it_. “Eyes,” he warned instinctively.

_“Eyes,” he chided, lobbing a pair of goggles across camp. Varian scowled but caught them, wrestling to pull them over his hair, before sticking his tongue out and shaking a beaker aggressively. It exploded. Eugene sighed and cast his gaze skyward._

_“Varian, eyes-” But it was too late. Pink went flying, goop flung in every direction, and Eugene took a second to blink and tug at the sticky substance in his hair before huffing a breath. Varian turned to him, bare face coated with the same stuff, and Eugene almost buried his face in his hand before catching himself. “You never listen, Blue.” ...At least his brother had the mind to look sheepish._

_“Eyes!” He lunged, reaching out to snatch Varian away from the rock just as the latest ~~failure~~ beaker burst into violent flames. He twisted away so his back was towards the heat and to curl Varian under his protection, stumbling a step before holding him loosely and resting a chin on his brother’s head. “Where would you _be _without me, kiddo,” he laughed as Varian squirmed in his grip, arms flailing in protest as the boy fought to return to the scene of his destruction._

Rapunzel immediately pulled her face away, brow wrinkling in confusion but setting the glass down carefully nonetheless. “Sorry?”

He paused, blinking away the memories, before grinning widely. “It’s nothing,” he brushed off easily, shoving the glassware to one side and stopping up the containers with chemicals left in them. “Just watch out. Don’t wanna lose an eye to some half-done alchemy.”

She gasped. “What’s alchemy?” Eugene waved a hand, gently guiding her away from the rock and back towards the blankets the angry girl was so thoughtfully slinging around the campsite.

“My brother’s the nerd, blah blah, something about science and the phases of matter and boiling points - hey, you’ll have to ask him about it when we see him again,” he offered. It was a little promise to himself. _When_. The surety in that word kept him from losing it with worry over the thought of Varian still out and alone, who _knows_ where.

She patted his hand, briefly, as if she could hear the barest hint of pain in his voice. “I’m sure he’ll have to tell me _all_ about it,” she said, amused, and a weight lifted off his shoulders.

When they finally settled in for the night, Eugene breathed out slow and relaxed against the tree. Above him, leaves bobbed lightly in the wind, caught silver in the moonlight. The frog snored from his nest in Rapunzel’s hair; Ruddiger chirped sadly from Eugene’s shoulders. Cassandra was so _quiet_ he couldn’t even hear her breathe, on her side next to her sister, tensed even in sleep. Their impromptu training session earlier cast her in a new light; she’d been caught like he had forever ago - wanting so badly to escape and yet unwilling to leave behind the person that meant most to them in the world. He stroked Ruddiger’s head. Maybe there was trust to be had there, yet.

“ _So._ ” The whisper was so quiet he almost missed it amongst the rustle of branches. Rapunzel propped herself up on her elbows, scooting a little further away from her companions and frowning, tired but curious. “The li- sorry, the lanterns - how do they work? Where do they come from?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping?” Eugene drawled, but it was rhetorical; she kept staring, clearly expecting an answer, and he shrugged. “People let them go once a year to remember the princess they lost.” He’d heard the rumors, knew the basics of the story - a little girl, taken in the night; some said by an old and jealous woman, some said by a vengeful magic user, and most said _probably both_. “And...the candles inside them, something like that. Heat rises,” he recited, recalling a younger voice explaining the exact same thing with sass and a miniature demonstration, pasted together from paper bits. “You’ve never gotten to see them before? Ever?”

“Nope,” she replied, popping the p and sighing. “Mother didn’t le- I didn’t leave. This is my first time. And there’s so _much_ out here,” she gushed in a low whisper. “Cass has been out, but I’ve never seen _any of this!_ ”

“So...she let her out, but not you? Why not?” There had to be more to this story. Who locks a girl up her entire life and lets the other go free? He’d seen them fight in the pub - they probably posed more of a danger to the local citizenship than the other way around. It definitely wasn’t for either girl’s protection. And then- “...you’re not going back, are you?”

“I don’t know,” she groaned, flopping one arm over her face. “It’s complicated.” It was a long moment before Rapunzel settled, rolling to rest her chin in her hands. “Where...where do _you_ come from?”

He opened his mouth, then closed it abruptly. An old, creeping fear came rushing back at the thought of the Kingdom, like the feeling of being watched. “A long ways away, Blondie. Another kingdom, way beyond the horizon. We left it behind...ages ago.”

She hummed, confused. “So you’re not from here?” The idea of there being other lands outside this forest, let alone this country - he saw how it could be baffling, and chuckled.

“Not by a long shot, no matter what you’ll hear around the city. My reputation precedes me.” His exaggerated smugness earned him a giggle, and she paused to tuck her hair behind her ear. The golden color almost gleamed under the moonlight, like there was something about the moon’s touch that had a depth the sun’s gaze didn’t.

“Your reputation, huh? Flynn Rider, or... _Eugene_?”

He’d. He’d never told her his real name. “Wha- hold on-” He sat upright, faltering when Cass stirred before she let out a startlingly loud snore and rolled over, silent as a rock once more. “Hold _on_.”

“I mean- I’m sorry, I didn’t-” Rapunzel stuttered, caught off guard. He bristled, that fear crashing down his spine like a wave of _very_ cold water.

“How do you know my name?”

“I just... heard it? I guess, I-”

“-I haven’t ever told anyone outside family-”

“-he just... _said_ it, I’m so sorry-” His thoughts ground to a halt. Said?

_Eugene’s door creaked open, the soft blue glow behind it peeking in hesitantly before clambering into bed beside him. The teenager grumbled into his pillow, raising an arm to let Varian curl up under it, before drawing the blanket tight around them both. “Again?” he murmured, pressing his face against the top of Varian’s head._

_“Yeah.” And that said enough, the broken weakness in the younger boy’s voice. It frustrated Eugene to not be able to fix it, to shelter him from whatever kept him up and restless and scared, but it was never just nightmares. It was what followed Varian in the daytime, too. It was closed doors and magic and barked orders from the King. “...’Gene?”_

_Eugene hummed in reply, questioning, and Varian wiggled in his hold. His hair faded brighter, just for a second, before dimming slowly. “She’s...she’s sad,” he whispered. Eugene cracked open his eyes, taken aback, and Varian’s peered up at him - flooded entirely with blue light, watery and upset. “She just wants to be_ free _.”_

Said. _Sad_. Sun, moon. Connected since the beginning of time.

 _Connected_.

He wondered why he was still surprised by anything, anymore, and felt a little faint. “No, it’s okay - yeah, my name’s Eugene. Just...don’t tell anyone, got it? _Reputation_?”

The admission was an abrupt shift, but Rapunzel took it in stride, huffing a quiet laugh and shaking her head. “And it would be a shame if anything happened to _that_ , hm?”

“A fake reputation is all a man has,” he replied, and the silence between them hung comfortable and teasing.

When he finally drifted off, it was the easiest sleep he’d had in days.

* * *

The morning brought their arrival to the center of town, picking their way past shoppers and hawkers, but even then the usually hectic morning rush was deceptively peaceful. Both girls were too busy craning their necks to see _everything_ to notice the nervous looks Flynn kept casting the castle guard (he’d left Ruddiger back at camp for this _exact_ reason). Cass strayed towards the fringes, peering in shop windows and breathing in all the smells - _sweet heavens_ , was that meat? Where could she get her hands on that? - and only jolting from her awe upon Rapunzel’s alarmed noises.

Blonde hair wove paths and tangles across the square, looping awkwardly in Rapunzel’s arms and around her feet and between passerby - a headache began to bloom behind Cass’s eyes, and she sighed and moved forwards to help gather it all up and prevent some poor shopper from tripping over the mess. Or keep Raps from getting all her hair yanked out. Whichever came first. Flynn hovered awkwardly, reaching around to help as much as he could, before vanishing abruptly. Fine, okay, whatever. Cass grumbled and kept heaping armfuls on Rapunzel, growing more and more annoyed at _everyone who kept getting in the way, seriously, her sword was beginning to look_ very _tempting -_

A sharp whistle, the high laughter of young girls. Suddenly the weight in Cassandra’s arms disappeared, swept away by a gaggle of small redheads, and she blinked. Flynn looked smug, leaning against a nearby window, and she glared - she’d had it handled, _okay_ \- but her annoyance evaporated at the beaming smile on her sister’s face. And...she relaxed, shoulders sagging. And Rapunzel truly _shone_ , chattering excitedly with the girls as they hopped back and forth, weaving in flowers and gently combing away knots.

Cass wondered what it would take to keep that look on Rapunzel’s face forever. She’d do it. She’d do it in a heartbeat.

At the edge of her personal space, Flynn shifted. At first he’d seemed standoffish, only interested in getting his brother back and leaving them two behind, but the worry visibly melted off his face as he watched Raps. He only had eyes for her - _men_ \- and a smile softened the harsher edges of his expression. She huffed and resisted the urge to beat it off with the frying pan she’d been left to hold. She couldn’t help but admit she’d seen their softness with each other, in the small moments - leaving the tower, exploring the forest, singing in the pub. Maybe there was something good there, something she shouldn’t get in the way of. Even if it irked her.

A loud neigh had her on edge instantly, jumping and surveying the crowd. A few streets down and barely visible, a guard horse (snow white with the _most_ serious look she’d ever seen a horse wear) sniffed around a doorframe. She flipped the pan in her grip, readying it. Damnit, and she’d wanted _no more trouble_. This was because of the pub, wasn’t it. _Ugh_.

Mother’s warnings rang loudly in her ears. _Never - and I mean **never** \- talk to a member of the guard, Cassandra._ She remembered her mother’s fingers, cold and sharp on her jaw, tilting her face to look upwards and meet the stern glare. _They only mean trouble. They will take you from me. Do you want to be taken from me, darling?_

She’d shaken her head no, straining to stand on her tip-toes, cheeks squished. The grip had tightened for a second, before Mother let go. Before Mother let her fall. _Good girl_.

The horse snorted, scraping the ground with its hoof, and suddenly the pan was the only real thing she could feel. She- she had to leave. Mother demanded it. Rapunzel would be safe - the guard didn’t know her, hadn’t seen her before or with Mother or at the pub or in the forest (Cassandra hadn’t seen the guard in any of those places, but they were always watching, they _had_ to be). Besides, Flynn was around to keep an eye on her; he looked like he had experience with dodging guards. Cass didn’t want to ruin her fun (or see that smile fade), and...well, maybe this was that chance for something good. Maybe she shouldn’t step in the middle of all. That.

She mentally pulled a face, then shoved the pan in Flynn’s hands. “You better not take your eyes off her for one _second_ ,” she growled, but it was useless advice. He didn’t even meet her eyes long enough to see the threat that she was, unable to tear his gaze off Rapunzel spinning together a crown of flowers for the youngest girl.

“Yeah, yeah, sure,” he replied absently, yelping when she elbowed him directly in the gut (where his wound had been - but it was healed, so she didn’t feel bad). “Sir yes sir,” he snapped off a nervous, joking salute, grinning awkwardly. “Keep her safe. While you go...run off...somewhere?”

“Don’t question me, Rider.” She bit out, then flinched minutely. _Don’t question me, Cassandra_. “I’ll be back later. Don’t wait on me for the lights. Don’t let her get hurt. And so _help_ me-” She grabbed the front of his shirt, yanking him down so they saw eye to eye. “-if you are the cause of so much as _one_ split end, I will _gut you_. Are we clear?”

“Absolutely,” he nodded vigorously. “Entirely. You can count on me.” She let him go roughly, and he skittered back half a step before clearing his throat and straightening. Good. Let him feel off-centered. She derived a personal satisfaction from his discomfort.

Anyways. She had a guard horse to either outrun (because surely it was she the guard was after - Mother always knew best) or draw away from her sister. Cass could only hope this thief wasn’t a complete idiot.

...They were doomed.


	2. Chapter 2

When Rapunzel spun in place, her new braid swirling and catching every drop of sunshine in the market square, Eugene forgot how...to breathe. Or think. Or do anything besides smile stupidly.

She was _beautiful_. She was more than beautiful. She spun again and her skirt swished out to glide around her, soft, playful. The girls giggled around her feet, clothes dusted with pastel petals and dirt from the cobblestone streets, and she dropped to her knees to gather them in a quick hug. “Thank you!” Rapunzel gushed, before standing quickly and spotting him at the fringe of the square. She bounded up to him, taking his hands, and a warmth he hadn’t felt before spread across his face and down the back of his neck. He twirled her once and let her wheel away a few feet, free like a bird, before she came back with a laugh. “This is much better, hm?” Yes, well. How could he not agree? “Where did Cass go?”

“She, uh, didn’t really say,” he admitted, rubbing at the back of his neck, but this seemed to say enough for Rapunzel and she merely shrugged.

“I’m sure whatever it is, it’s very important,” she replied, with the sort of unwavering confidence he would expect from two close siblings. “There’s so much to _see_ , come on!”

Her enthusiasm was contagious. She chased the scent of peaches down one side road, then followed a flash of colorful fabric down an alley. They perused books - she’d only ever had _three_ \- and bought cupcakes, ducked between buildings and wandered the stalls in the main square. She stopped to let children dance with her skirt, gasp at her hair, even scooped up one little boy to let him place a sprig of pale white flowers behind her ear.

(He remembered holding another little boy like that. He remembered small hands on his shoulders, a child’s curiosity. He couldn’t forget who he was looking for, as distracting as this girl was, as important as he thought she might be.)

“Oookay,” Eugene smiled politely, hand catching her upper arm to urge her along as she set the kid down and waved goodbye. “Almost sundown. What else do you wanna see before we head to the boats?”

Rapunzel stopped for a second to think, nose scrunching (Adorable. He needed to see it happen again.) as her green eyes scanned the crowds. The sights and smells of the city washed over them, filling the temporary silence with the impressions of a world she’d never gotten to see before, and she squinted even further before whirling on him. “That stand?” She asked, tugging on his sleeve, and it was barely a question; she’d already begun to drag him over to a stall framed with bright purple fabric and smelling sweetly of spiced nuts.

The crowd moved around them, smiling at this bright girl he’d unleashed on the city, and that warmth from before crept from his neck to spread across his shoulders. Not even Corona stood a chance before Rapunzel, it seemed. He’d never seen so many other citizens smile so much, even despite his _outstanding_ charisma and Varian’s unending ability to look cute when the situation called for it.

He grimaced and shook his head. He’d find Varian soon enough. He _would_. The last time he’d chased a girl foolishly over his brother came back to him in a rush - not this time. It just…wouldn’t hurt to let her see the lanterns, first. Another hour, tops.

By the time he had the packet of nuts in hand, she’d wandered off again. “Rapunzel?” He called, stiffening. The image of her sister’s icy glare had him almost sweating in the half second it took to find a blonde head in the crowd. He released a relieved breath. “Oh _there_ you are, way to give me a heart attack, Blondie-”

She stood tall in the center of the square. Her chin tilted up, hands loose at her sides as she gazed up at the mosaic of the royal family. He’d seen it several times before, eyes glossing over it as just another Coronan decoration, another tribute to the lost princess, but this - this was _different._

The way she stood wasn’t a curious girl admiring art. She stepped forwards, once, hand beginning to lift from where it swung at her skirts, and his breath caught in his throat. The wide green eyes of the baby girl, immortalized in colored glass. The wide green eyes of the girl staring up at the history she’d never been fully taught. Her posture, strong, a powerful shape amongst the soft edges of the passerby; her hair, the same shade of light as the baby’s. The lanterns. On her _birthday_.

 _She’s the sun_.

Well. He supposed _one_ recent life-changing revelation wasn’t good enough. _Nah, better make it two_ , he thought, knees weak. The nuts crunched in his grip. Rapunzel spun to meet his eyes, simple curiosity gone as her focus shifted to the treat he’d _been_ holding carefully. “Are- are you okay?”

“Fine!” He squeaked out. “Yeah! Totally. Totally fine.”

What on _earth_ was he supposed to do with this knowledge - that might not even be true, but if it wasn’t _he’d eat his own hand_ \- just continue on with his day? Who did he tell? Did she _know_? _No, you idiot_ , he thought, _why else would she be hidden in a_ tower. And then she grabbed his hands again, tugging at the paper bag of nuts, pulling him back to the crowd, and he couldn’t seem to get the words unstuck from the space between _I’m having a crisis that involves the biggest mystery in this entire kingdom_ and _pretty girl holding my hands_.

And then she whirled away from him, skipping towards children and dancing with young girls and hooking her arm in an old woman’s, and he was left stunned in her wake. He was so stunned, in fact, that he didn’t see the white shape coming barrelling at him from an alley.

The wind left his lungs in a painful rush upon several tons of _angry horse_ colliding with him, and he staggered backwards. He cursed loudly in his head, then lost his grip on words as a general concept as said head bounced off the cobblestones and the angry horse loomed over him, somehow looking _angrier_. Ugh, the horse from the forest - great, just his luck. “Get _off_ me, you oaf,” he complained loudly, struggling to free his hands, but the beast snorted a hot breath across his face and looked about ready to rip it right off-

“Eugene!” A pair of hands tugged under his shoulders, a blur of blonde and purple above him, facing the horse. He grimaced, winded. “Give me him!” Rapunzel bit out, shoulder checking the guard horse and managing to force him to shift his hooves. Eugene gasped and rolled free, sputtering to breathe, going limp for a second as his life stopped flashing before his very own eyes.

The horse nickered, echoing through the square, and it was truly a wonder of all wonders that everyone hadn’t stopped to stare. No, instead the crowd continued to rush by, ignoring him in his plight and weaving a track around the horse and Blondie as she held her hands out soothingly. “Easy, _easy_ ,” she coaxed, pitching her voice higher. “Settle down! Easy, boy, there you go-”

And just like that, the horse was putty in her manipulative, efficient hands. She cooed at him, scratching in all the good spots and speaking sweetly, before pulling away. “Now-” She glanced down at his harness, before snapping back up, smile blinding. “-Maximus, look...I know you’re such a capable guard, but I really _need_ the bad, bad man for today. Okay?” She cranked the puppy eyes to full, head tilted and hand rubbing his neck slowly, and Eugene could pinpoint the exact second the horse thought better of making this poor, adorable girl sad. On one hand, great, he was free of his little stalker for today. On the other hand…

“Hey,” he protested, “you have _got_ to be kidding me!” Rapunzel shot him a quick, brutal glare, Pascal crossing his arms on her head, and Eugene shrank back. Okay. Let the girl do the talking. Got it.

“-and it’s _also_ my birthday, today,” she wheedled. “I need him _just_ for today. Is that okay, Maximus?”

The horse grunted, glaring with the heat of a thousand suns, before huffing and slumping forwards with regret. Rapunzel cheered loudly, wrapping his neck in a hug, and Eugene dragged his hands down his face before stumbling to his feet once more. “What if I come find you after the lights?” She continued to chatter, rubbing behind Max’s ear. “Would you like that? Oh yes you would, yes you would!”

“Boat time, Blondie.” Eugene grabbed her by the wrist, picking up the dropped frying pan and pulling in the direction of the dock. “Please. Now. Before he snaps and _eats_ me.”

* * *

The boat rocked gently under her feet, damp and cool, and she took in a deep breath.

This was it. Everything she’d dreamed of, here, _tonight_. She sat quickly, before her knees could give out - she was so _nervous_. What if it wasn’t it? What if it didn’t live up to all of her imagining, her longing, her gazes out the window one night a year, her reaching her hands out and wanting to feel the warmth for herself?

She cast a glance over her shoulder - on the far dock, Max, conflicted over his bag of apples. At the end of the boat, Pascal, chittering quietly and curling up in a coil of rope. Right over her shoulder, Eugene, oar in hand, something gentle in his eyes. The sun had just begun to dip below the horizon, casting his face with the colors of the sunset and softening his expression, and she almost reached out her hand to feel his warmth, herself.

The night fell just as they reached the center of the open water, dark waves rippling out from their path and disturbing the still calm below them in every direction. She skimmed a hand out, testing the cold, and almost jumped at the sound of his voice. “You okay?”

Rapunzel smiled despite herself, then let it fall. “...I’m terrified,” she admitted. This was her everything, laid out before her. She almost didn’t feel like she deserved it, like she could fight for her dream forever and still never struggle enough to earn it. Or maybe...maybe all of this wanting and it wouldn’t even live up to what she’d _made_ it into, after all her years.

“Why?” She met Eugene’s eyes, just for a second. No judgement, no expectations, just...concern. He was concerned...for her. He wanted to know why she was afraid, genuinely, and Rapunzel almost couldn’t breathe from the sudden rush that gave her. She still barely knew him, but something between them fit so _well_. She could see herself with him. She could see herself holding him close; and that was a little scary, in its own right, but thrilling in a way she’d never known before.

She bit her lip, looked back down at her reflection in the water. “I spent eighteen _years_ trying to picture what it would feel like to finally… watch the lights rise above me.” All her old daydreams flickered in the candlelight of her mind’s eye, warm, comforting, a home she would always carry with her. “It’s all I used to talk about, sometimes, with Cass,” she laughed. “But...what if it’s _not_ everything I dreamed it would be?”

She could hear the softness in his voice. “It will be.”

“And after?” If she crossed her fingers, if she hoped and prayed and begged, if the lights floated their way into the sky and off to the horizon, and she finally felt _whole_? “What do I do then?”

“Well that's the good part, I guess,” Eugene said, gaze pinned somewhere out across the water before that brown focused entirely on her once more. “You get to go find a new dream.”

She hummed. _A new dream_.

A whole world of dreams waited out there for her. But how could she pick any of them, when the one she was beginning to want most was sitting at her side, familiar in the dusk?

A light touch on her shoulder. She turned, shifting on the bench, and he settled a small bowl in her hands before cupping his around hers. “They reminded me of you,” he murmured, and she brushed her fingers over the small purple flowers. “I figured...maybe we can leave a little beauty behind.”

She scooped one up, dipping her hand under the surface to let it float free of her fingers, the petals soft in her palm. “Thank you,” she breathed, nervousness easing at the warmth in her chest, and she plucked another one from the bowl and let it just...bob away, caught up in the shallow waves.

And then - a dot of light, far in the distance. Her breath caught in her throat. _This is it,_ she thought, and the widest, brightest grin she’d ever worn split across her face. _This is it!_

The entire world shrunk down to the lanterns that began to appear in the night sky, like living watercolors; shades of the most stunning yellows, oranges, pinks. Rapunzel scrambled to her feet, the boat swaying and rocking as she clung to the bow, arms wrapped around the solid wood and trembling just barely. More lanterns joined the last wave; row after row until she could barely see the black of the sky beyond them, until she could almost feel the heat of the tiny flames on her face, and it was. It was _perfect._

She reached out, fingers outstretched, and let the giddy swell of excitement shake her to her core. _At last, I see the light_ , she thought, and her cheeks hurt from the smile. She traced the paths of light through the dark with her hand, mouth open in awe, gaze sliding across the sight before her, before she couldn’t help but look back.

In Eugene’s hands were two lanterns, flickering and stenciled with brown ink. She gasped, moving quickly to perch opposite him. “For us?”

“You and me,” he replied, and there was so much _more_ behind those words that she didn’t hope to ever understand. He nudged one into her grip, and then they raised their arms together, and -

The pair of lanterns twirled side by side, united in the air, united in their freedom. Nothing would ever bring them back down to earth. Nothing could ever make them separate, and she blinked away sudden tears. “Hey,” and it was that concerned voice again, Eugene’s worry written across his face. “Is- is it not what you wanted?”

“No,” she choked out, and laced her fingers with his. These weren’t scared tears, shed by a girl who’d never lived out her dream before, afraid to reach out and grab ahold of what was right in front of her. These were happy tears. Moved. Determined to keep feeling the way she did in this very moment. “It’s _perfect_.”

He settled into a calm smile, and she returned it before gasping and pointing out across the bay. There were so many different lanterns, round and square, paper with metal frames, stencilled with flowers, hearts, good wishes; an outpouring of love that she had no choice but to open up to and soak in. One skimmed low, almost touching the water before she slipped a hand under it and gave it a little push. Away it flew, renewed, and she sat back with another swell of happiness.

Her eyes found his again. Never once had she caught him looking anywhere but at her face, her smile, and yet the attention didn’t make her nervous. She could only smile brighter; his care made her feel secure, truly, and part of her wanted to stay rocking in this little boat on the bay for the rest of all time. But if this was going to end - _well_ , she thought, leaning in, tightening her hold on his hands and moving close enough to brush their noses together, _she’d make the best of it._

* * *

Cass grimaced and swung her legs.

The water below rippled in the evening’s low light. Owl hooted from his perch next to her, talons dug into the wooden surface of the dock, and she reached out to rub his cheek with her knuckle. Ever faithful, Owl. Always by her side.

The boats out on the water readied for the lanterns’ release. She’d lost track of the horse long ago, but she’d seen Eugene rent a small boat for the evening. They would be safe, out in the bay. So Cass found herself a quiet spot along the shore’s edge, one of the lesser-used docks, and tucked her hands under her knees.

The lights had never been her dream like they were for Rapunzel, but she couldn’t help but admit a certain curiosity for their appearance, a longing to see them up close. Would Raps get everything she’d hoped for? Probably. If her sister was anything, it was easily enchanted by magic in the most mundane places. And if any regular object held magic, she supposed, it’d be the lanterns. They rose ever slowly above the city, released in waves, and she leaned back on her hands to watch the ascent. Her own dream...her careful eyes tracked the lights as they faded into the horizon. Her own dream was so much _more_ than protecting Raps, as determined as Cass was to keep her safe. No - instead of longing to see the lanterns above all else, she wanted to _follow_ them.

What waited beyond the horizon? What world was open to her, if they could just get away? Would it be every bit as dangerous and glorious as she’d dreamed? Would she have the strength to survive the horrors Mother warned her about? Because that was partially Mother’s mistake, wasn’t it. No longer did her stories scare Cassandra; they only fueled her, promised her things to test herself against. The strongest metals only sharpened when struck with stronger, and Cass wanted to strike and strike against the world until she was the strongest of them all.

And what then, when she made her way into the world? What if she ran out of metals, ran out of targets, obstacles, opponents? She’d just hit harder. She’d throw herself into the fray until no one else could stand. She’d accomplish her dream, then forge herself a new one and keep following the lanterns beyond the horizon. Because they beckoned her, the lights in the sky. They told her she could be free. They told her there was _more_.

A whole world of dreams waited out there for her. But how could she pick any of them, when the call in her heart came from even beyond their furthest reaches?

Owl’s hoots jolted her from her thoughts. Overhead, the sky was lit almost to daytime with the quiet flames of the lanterns, fresh ones rising up to join the ones that had burned the night away. She soothed a hand down his back, ignoring his restlessness, and took a moment to let the view sink in. Yeah, it might not be her full dream, but she could enjoy the beauty in this peaceful moment.

Several things happened in quick succession.

Owl hooted loud enough to make her jump.

Cass flinched and almost slipped into the water.

An old, unexpectedly strong hand landed on her shoulder and bodily hauled her backwards, keeping her disoriented.

And then a cloth slipped over her face, she breathed in against her will, and Mother’s dark eyes crinkled with disappointment in the space above Cass’s head.

She only had a half second to go through _surprise, shock, fear, aggression_ before the world went dark.

* * *

Her face moved _very_ close to his.

Eugene cupped her jaw, the race of her heart light under his fingers. Everything else - the boat, the lanterns, the water; his uncertainty, fear, troubles - it all faded into the background. She was all he could see, the curve of her cheek under his palm, the warmth of her skin against his, and he could barely find it in him to _breathe_.

For so long, he’d never wanted to (never _had_ to) open up to anyone else besides his family. He’d gone days on end living like he always had, fighting to keep them safe, learning how to grow up himself. But here? Her knees pressed to his, her hands around his, her lips inches from his? This was something he could _keep._ This is something he could strive for. He leaned forward to close the gap, capture her mouth with his -

An unholy screech from above startled him into jumping backwards, heart no longer racing from nervousness but adrenaline, and he yelped as Rapunzel flailed and stomped on his foot in her surprise. “Oh I’m so _sorry_ -” she geared up for a rambling apology, face beet red, before a blur of feathers shot between them and screamed _again_.

It was the owl. Of COURSE it was the owl. “Owl? Why- where’s-?” She gathered the bird in her hands, confusion replaced by a dawning horror. “It’s Cass, isn’t it?”

He hooted, shaking a leg, and Eugene scrambled for the oars. “Go, go!” Rapunzel lifted her arm abruptly, giving Owl some momentum and tracking his path as he dove through the air back for the water’s edge. “Follow him, Eugene, _hurry!_ ”

He nodded and pushed the boat as fast as it would go, but when they pulled up to the dock, it was empty. Only a sword remained, flashing in the lanterns’ light. Abandoned. Rapunzel hopped out, picking up the blade gingerly. “Cass? Cass!” She called, to no reply. “Cass, where are you?!”

Eugene followed, eyes scanning the ground. His toe hit fabric - he knelt, uncertainty giving way to concern. “Hey, Blondie, this ain’t good.” It smelled sweet, tempting. He didn’t breathe deeply. She hadn’t run off. She’d been _taken_.

And as the peace of the night crumbled away around them, as they rushed to tie up the boat and as he tucked the sword into his belt, he couldn’t help but think of another missing sibling. _Failure after failure._

Not this time, not for either of them. Not anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> none of the line breaks copied over in the first chapter but i added them in now!! haha check ur work kiddos

**Author's Note:**

> hey! a few things  
> 1) holy crap ive never written anything this long before. save me  
> 2) im moving to college for the first time!! probably will only have time for smaller fics for a week or two - wish me luck LOL  
> 3) wren and i have been tossing around the idea of doing a q&a style thingy in case anyone has questions because frankly there's a whole crapton that doesnt make it into the fics and ALSO we just love talking about these kids. which, to be fair, theyre great kids and they deserve the world  
> 4) i miss writing varian its been 298579324 years trust me we'll get back with him soon


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